Steyn caused problems immediately, producing some unplayable deliveries that zipped off the seam at pace.

It was no surprise when he pinned opener Parchment on the crease in the fourth over of the morning, and no surprise when he soon collected his eighth five-wicket haul in only his 18th Test.

The West Indians continued to play their shots, which was enjoyable when they connected, but looked reckless when they chose the wrong ball to attack.

Daren Ganga edged in flat-footed fashion to second slip and Runako Morton, after some bold strokes, including a wild swipe over mid-off to Pollock's first ball, then fatally played no shot and was lbw.

Bravo brought up 100 for the West Indies with an exquisite back foot drive for four, but next ball on eight was deceived by an Andre Nel slower one, the paceman spilling a reasonably straightforward return chance.

It gave the all-rounder the chance to display his considerable skills with the bat, and he combined some calypso drives on the up and pulls with beautifully timed shots with the straightest of bats that any of his legendary predecessors would have been proud of.

He reached his ninth Test fifty in delightful fashion from 67 balls when a back foot punch whistled back past bowler Steyn and gave him his 11th four.

Samuels recorded the century partnership with an emphatic pull to the boundary, beginning a memorable brief passage of play with the ever-combative Nel.

The next ball was short and carved over the slips by Samuels.

Nel's rapidly increasing blood pressure then reached new levels when the next one was edged between the keeper and solitary slip, who had just been moved wider.

After the two cavalier batsmen negotiated the afternoon session unscathed, their exciting partnership was broken in the first over after tea when Bravo missed a straight one playing across the line.

Denesh Ramdin played some inventive strokes, striking five fours in 25 in a stand of 41 with Samuels, but then needlessly chased a wide one from Nel.

Samuels, dropped low at second slip by Jacques Kallis on 41, sealed his second Test hundred - following his 104 in India in 2002 - with a firm thump down the ground off Kallis, his 17th boundary.

Graeme Smith chose to delay taking the new ball by two overs, but when he did call for it there were immediate rewards, as Steyn produced another magnificent delivery with the third ball with the new cherry.

He pitched it around middle stump and the ball rattled the top of the off pole to beat the defensive stroke of Samuels.

The exuberance of Steyn's celebrations was noted by umpire Simon Taufel and the paceman may find himself short of several rand at the end of the contest.

It did not stop his ruthless destruction of the West Indies tail and, after dismissing Darren Sammy and Daren Powell in three balls, he returned in his next over to apply the coup de grace and shatter the stumps of last man Fidel Edwards.

However, it was fittingly Pollock who was chaired off at his home ground as he left the Test arena for the final time.

It was an unfortunate finish to the series for the West Indians, who looked to have turned the tide by winning the first match at Port Elizabeth, their first Test victory since May 2005.

Key players were missing for the third and final Test, acting skipper Chris Gayle joining regular captain Ramnaresh Sarwan on the sidelines, but coach John Dyson will need to get more from his players in the one-day series later this month.